Process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds and sulfonates thereof

ABSTRACT

The preparation of alkylaryl compounds takes place, inter alia, by a 1 ) preparation of a C 4  -olefin mixture from LPG, LNG or MTO streams, b  1 ) reaction of the C 4 -olefin mixture obtained in this way over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin mixture comprising  2 -pentene and/or  3 -hexene, and optional removal of  2 -pentene and/or  3 -hexene, c 1 ) dimerization of the  2 -pentane and/or  3 -hexene obtained in stage b 1 ) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture comprising C 10-12 -olefins, and optional removal of the C 10-12 - olefins, d 1 ) reaction of the C 10-12 -olefin mixtures obtained in stage a 1 ) with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, it being possible to add additional linear olefins prior to the reaction.

The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds and alkylarylsulfonates, to alkylaryls and alkylarylsulfonates obtainable by these processes, to the use of the latter as surfactants, preferably in detergents and cleaners, and to detergents and cleaners comprising these compounds.

Alkylbenzenesulfonates (ABS) have been used for a long time as surfactants in detergents and cleaners. Following the use initially of surfactants based on tetrapropylenebenzenesulfonate, which, however, had poor biodegradability, alkylbenzenesulfonates which are as linear as possible (LAS) have since been prepared and used. However, linear alkylbenzenesulfonates do not have adequate property profiles in all areas of application.

First, for example, it would be advantageous to improve their low-temperature washing properties or their properties in hard water. Likewise desirable is the ready ability to be formulated, given by the viscosity of the sulfonates and their solubility. These improved properties are displayed by slightly branched compounds or mixtures of slightly branched compounds with linear compounds, although it is imperative to achieve the correct degree of branching and/or the correct degree of mixing. Too much branching adversely affects the biodegradability of the products. Products which are too linear have a negative effect on the viscosity and the solubility of the sulfonates.

Moreover, the proportion of terminal phenylalkanes (2-phenylalkanes and 3-phenylalkanes) relative to internal phenylalkanes (4-, 5-, 6- etc. phenylalkanes) plays a role for the product properties. A 2-phenyl fraction of about 20-40% and a 2- and 3-phenyl fraction of about 40-60% can be advantageous with regard to product quality (solubility, viscosity, washing properties, biodegradability).

Surfactants with very high 2- and 3-phenyl contents can have the considerable disadvantage that the processability of the products suffers as a result of a sharp increase in the viscosity of the sulfonates.

Moreover, the solubility behavior may not be optimum. Thus, for example, the Krafft point of a solution of LAS with very high or very low 2- and 3-phenyl fractions is up to 10-20° C. higher than in the case of the optimal choice of the 2- and 3-phenyl fraction.

The process according to the invention offers the essential advantage that, as a result of the combination of process steps, a unique olefin mixture is obtained which, following alkylation of an aromatic, sulfonation and neutralization, or following isomerization or transalkylation, produces a surfactant notable for its combination of excellent application properties (solubility, viscosity, stability against water hardness, washing properties, biodegradability). With regard to the biodegradability of alkylarylsulfonates, compounds which are adsorbed less strongly to clarification sludge than traditional LAS are particularly advantageous.

For this reason, alkylbenzenesulfonates which are branched to a certain degree have been developed.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,964 describes the dimerization of C₅₋₈-hydrocarbons in the presence of a cracking catalyst coated with a transition metal, giving predominantly olefins having two or more branches. These olefins are subsequently alkylated with benzene to give a nonlinear alkylbenzene. For example, a mixture of hexenes is dimerized over a silicon dioxide-aluminum oxide cracking catalyst and then alkylated using HF as catalyst.

WO 88/07030 relates to olefins, alkylbenzenes and alkylbenzenesulfonates which can be used in detergents and cleaners. In the process, propene is dimerized to give hexene, which in turn is dimerized to give largely linear dodecene isomers. Benzene is then alkylated in the presence of aluminum halides and hydrofluoric acid.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,933 describes the dimerization of propene or butene to give monoolefins, where at least 20% of C₁₂-olefins which have a degree of branching of from 0.8 to 2.0 methyl groups/alkyl chain and have only methyl groups as branches. Aromatic hydrocarbons are alkylated over a shape-selective catalyst, preferably dealuminated MOR.

WO 99/05241 relates to cleaners which comprise branched alkylarylsulfonates as surfactants. The alkylarylsulfonates are obtained by dimerization of olefins to give vinylidine olefins, and subsequent alkylation of benzene over a shape-selective catalyst, such as MOR or BEA. This is followed by sulfonation.

DE-A-100 39 995, which has an earlier priority date but was unpublished at the priority date of the invention, relates to processes for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates obtained by a two-stage metathesis of C₄-olefins to C₁₀₋₁₂-olefins, subsequent alkylation of aromatic compounds therewith and, finally, sulfonation and neutralization. Sources of the C₄-olefins given are crack processes such as steam cracking or FCC cracking or the dehydrogenation of butanes or the dimerization of ethene. In the last-named processes, dienes, alkynes or eneynes can be removed prior to metathesis by customary methods such as extraction or selective hydrogenation.

DE-A-100 59 398, which has an earlier priority date but was unpublished at the priority date of the invention, likewise relates to a process for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates by, on statistical average, primarily mono-branched C₁₀₋₁₄-olefins are reacted with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation catalyst which comprises zeolites of the faujasite type. The C₁₀₋₁₄-olefins can be obtained by metathesis, extraction, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, dimerization or isomerization.

The olefins hitherto used for the alkylation partly have too high or too low a degree of branching or do not produce an optimal ratio of terminal to internal phenylalkanes. Alternatively, they are prepared from costly starting materials, such as, for example, propene or alpha-olefins, and sometimes the proportion of the olefin fractions which is of interest for the preparation of surfactants is only about 20%. This leads to costly work-up steps.

The object of the present invention is to provide a process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds and alkylarylsulfonates which are at least partially branched and thus have advantageous properties for use in detergents and cleaners compared with known compounds. In particular, they should have a suitable profile of properties of biodegradability, insensitivity toward water hardness, solubility and viscosity during the preparation and during use. In addition, the alkylarylsulfonates should be preparable in a cost-effective manner.

We have found that this object is achieved according to the invention by a process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds by

-   -   a1) preparation of a C₄-olefin mixture from LPG, LNG or MTO         streams,     -   b1) reaction of the C₄-olefin mixture obtained in this way over         a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin mixture         comprising 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, and optional removal of         2-pentene and/or 3-hexene,     -   c1) dimerization of the 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene obtained in         stage b1) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture         comprising C₁₀₋₁₂-olefins, and optional removal of the         C₁₀₋₁₂-olefins,     -   d1) reaction of the C₁₀₋₁₂-olefin mixtures obtained in stage b1)         with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation         catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, it being possible to         add additional linear olefins prior to the reaction.

In this process, in stage a1), the olefins are preferably obtained by dehydrogenation of the C₄ fraction of the LPG stream and subsequent removal of any dienes, alkynes and eneynes formed, where the C₄ fraction of the LPG stream is separated off from the LPG stream before or after dehydrogenation or removal of dienes, alkynes and eneynes.

The LNG stream can preferably be converted into the C₄-olefin mixture via a MTO process. The individual process variants are described in more detail below.

We have also found that this object is achieved according to the invention by a process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds by

-   -   a2) preparation of a C₆-olefin mixture by dehydrogenation of         C₆-alkanes with optional upstream or downstream isomerization,     -   b2) dimerization of the C₆-olefin mixture obtained in stage a2)         over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture comprising         C₁₂-olefins, and optional removal of the C₁₂-olefins,     -   c2) reaction of the C₁₂-olefin mixtures obtained in stage b2)         with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation         catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, it being possible to         add additional linear olefins before the reaction.

We have also found that the object is achieved according to the invention by a process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds by

-   -   a3) preparation of a C₁₂-olefin mixture by trimerization of         butenes or dehydrogenation of C₁₂-alkanes with optional upstream         or downstream isomerization, or by preparation of a C₁₂-olefin         mixture by oligomerization of ethene, followed by skeletal         isomerization.     -   b3) reaction of the C₁₂-olefin mixture obtained in stage a3)         with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation         catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, it being possible to         add additional linear olefins prior to the reaction.

In the process, the butenes used for the trimerization are obtained, for example, from LPG, LNG or MTO streams, as has been described above.

We have found that this object is also achieved according to the invention by a process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds which have, in the alkyl radical, 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1, and in which the proportion of carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0 in the alkyl radical is statistically less than 15%, by isomerization of linear alkylbenzenes or transalkylation of heavy alkylbenzenes with benzene.

We have also found that the object is achieved according to the invention by a process for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates by preparing alkylaryl compounds as in one of the above-described processes and subsequent sulfonation and neutralization of the resulting alkylaryl compounds.

The invention further provides alkylaryl compounds and alkylarylsulfonates obtainable by the above processes. The alkylarylsulfonates are preferably used as surfactants, in particular in detergents or cleaners. The invention thus also provides detergents or cleaners which, in addition to customary ingredients, comprise said alkylarylsulfonates.

According to the invention, it has been found that the preparation of C₄-olefin mixtures from LPG, LNG or MTO streams and the metathesis of the resulting C₄-olefins produces products which can be dimerized to give slightly branched C₁₀₋₁₂-olefin mixtures. These mixtures can be used advantageously in the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons, giving products which, following sulfonation and neutralization, result in surfactants which have excellent properties, in particular with regard to the sensitivity toward hardness-forming ions, the solubility of the sulfonates, the viscosity of the sulfonates and their washing properties. Moreover, the present process is extremely cost-effective since the product streams can be designed flexibly such that no by-products are produced. Starting from a C₄ stream, the metathesis according to the invention usually produces linear, internal olefins which are then converted into branched olefins via the dimerization step.

Stage a1)

Stage a1) relates to the preparation of a C₄-olefin mixture from LPG, LNG or MTO streams. Here, LPG is Liquified Petroleum Gas. Such liquid gases are defined, for example, in DIN 51 622. They generally comprise the hydrocarbons propane, propene, butane, butene and mixtures thereof which are produced in oil refineries as by-products during the distillation and cracking of petroleum, and in the preparation of natural gas during the separation of gasoline. LNG means Liquified Natural Gas. Natural gas consists primarily of saturated hydrocarbons which have varying compositions depending on their origin and are generally divided into three groups. Natural gas from pure natural gas reservoirs consists of methane and a small amount of ethane. Natural gas from petroleum reservoirs additionally comprises larger amounts of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, isobutane, butane, hexane, heptane and by-products. Natural gas from condensate and distillate reservoirs comprises not only methane and ethane, but also higher boiling components having more than 7 carbon atoms to a considerable degree. For a more detailed description of liquid gases and natural gas, reference may be made to the corresponding keywords in Römpp, Chemielexikon, 9th edition.

The LPG and LNG used as feedstock includes, in particular, “field butanes”, the term used for the C4 fraction of the “moist” fractions of natural gas and of petroleum accompanying gases, which are separated off from the gases in liquid form by drying and cooling to about −30° C. Low-temperature or pressure distillation therefore gives the field butanes whose composition varies depending on the reservoir, but which generally comprise about 30% isobutane and about 65% n-butane.

The C₄-olefin mixtures used for the preparation according to the invention of alkylaryl compounds and which are derived from LPG or LNG streams can be obtained by separating off the C₄ fraction and dehydrogenation, and feed purification in a suitable manner. Possible work-up sequences for LPG or LNG streams are dehydrogenation, then removal or partial hydrogenation of the dienes, alkynes and eneynes and then isolation of the C₄-olefins. Alternatively, the dehydrogenation can firstly be followed by isolation of the C₄-olefins, followed by removal or partial hydrogenation of the dienes, alkynes and eneynes, and optionally further by-products. It is also possible to carry out the sequence isolation of the C₄-olefins, dehydrogenation, removal or partial hydrogenation.

Suitable processes for the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons are described, for example, in DE-A-100 47 642. The dehydrogenation can be carried out, for example, in one or more reaction zones under heterogeneous catalysis, where at least some of the required heat of dehydrogenation is generated in at least one reaction zone by burning hydrogen, hydrocarbon(s) and/or carbon in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas directly within the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture which comprises the dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon(s) is brought into contact with a Lewis-acidic dehydrogenation catalyst which does not have Bronsted acidity. Suitable catalyst systems are Pt/Sn/Cs/K/La on oxidic supports such as ZrO₂, SiO₂, ZrO₂/SiO₂, ZrO₂/SiO₂/Al₂O₃, Al₂O₃, Mg(Al)O.

Suitable mixed oxides of the support are obtained by successive or common precipitation of soluble precursor substances.

In addition, with regard to the dehydrogenation of alkanes, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,371, WO 94/29021, U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,518, EP-A-0 838 534, WO 96/33151 or WO 96/33150.

The LNG stream can, for example, be converted into the C₄-olefin mixture via an MTO process. MTO here stands for Methanol-To-Olefin. It is related to the MTO process (Methanol-To-Gasoline). It is a process for the dehydration of methanol over a suitable catalyst, giving an olefinic hydrocarbon mixture. Depending on the C₁ feedstream, a methanol synthesis can be connected upstream in the MTO process. C₁-feed streams can thereby be converted, via methanol and the MTO process into olefin mixtures from which the C₄-olefins can be separated off by suitable methods. Removal can take place, for example, by distillation. For the MTO process, reference may be made to Weissermel, Arpe, Industrielle organische Chemie, 4th edition 1994, VCH-Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, p. 36 ff.

The Methanol-To-Olefin process is also described in P. J. Jackson, N. White, Technologies for the conversion of natural gas, Austr. Inst. Energy Conference 1985.

The C₄-olefin mixtures can also be prepared by metathesis of propene. The metathesis can be carried out as described in the present application. In addition, the C₄-olefin mixtures can be obtained by a Fischer-Tropsch process (Gas to Liquid) or by ethene dimerization. Suitable processes are described in the book already cited by Weissermel and Arpe on p. 23 ff. and 74 ff.

Further suitable processes for the preparation of the C₄-olefin mixture are the olefin mixtures obtained by FCC and steam cracking or by partial hydrogenation of butadiene. In this respect, reference has already been made to DE-A-100 39 995.

Stage b1)

Stage b1) of the process according to the invention is the reaction of the C₄-olefin mixture over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin mixture comprising 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, and optional removal of 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene. The metathesis can be carried out, for example, as described in WO 00/39058 or DE-A-100 13 253.

The olefin metathesis (disproportionation) is, in its simplest form, the reversible, metal-catalyzed transalkylidenation of olefins by rupture or reformation of C═C double bonds according to the following equation:

In the specific case of the metathesis of acyclic olefins, a distinction is made between self-metathesis in which an olefin is converted into a mixture of two olefins of differing molar masses (for example: propene→ethene+2-butene), and cross- or cometathesis, which describes a reaction of two different olefins (propene+1-butene→ethene+2-pentene). If one of the reactants is ethene, this is generally referred to as ethenolysis.

Suitable metathesis catalysts are, in principle, homogeneous and heterogeneous transition metal compounds, in particular those of transition groups VI to VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst systems in which these compounds are present.

Various metathesis processes starting from C₄ streams can be used according to the invention.

DE-A-199 32 060 relates to a process for the preparation of C₅/C₆-olefins by reaction of a feed stream which comprises 1-butene, 2-butene and isobutene to give a mixture of C₂₋₆-olefins. In this process, propene, in particular, is obtained from butenes. In addition, hexene and methylpentene are discharged as products. No ethene is added in the metathesis. If desired, ethene formed in the metathesis is returned to the reactor.

The preferred process for the preparation of optionally propene and hexene from a raffinate II feed stream comprising olefinic C₄-hydrocarbons comprises

-   a) carrying out a metathesis reaction in the presence of a     metathesis catalyst which comprises at least one compound of a metal     of transition group VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table of the     Elements, in the course of which, butenes present in the feed stream     are reacted with ethene to give a mixture comprising ethene,     propene, butenes, 2-pentene, 3-hexene and butanes, where, based on     the butenes, up to 0.6 mol equivalents of ethene may be used, -   b) first separating the product stream thus obtained by distillation     into optionally a low-boiling fraction A comprising C₂-C₃-olefins,     and into a high-boiling fraction comprising C₄-C₆-olefins and     butanes, -   c) then separating the low-boiling fraction A optionally obtained     from b) by distillation into a fraction comprising ethene and a     fraction comprising propene, where the fraction comprising ethene is     returned to the process step a), and the fraction comprising propene     is discharged as product, -   d) then separating the high-boiling fraction obtained from b) by     distillation into a low-boiling fraction B comprising butenes and     butanes, an intermediate-boiling fraction C comprising 2-pentene,     and a high-boiling fraction D comprising 3-hexene, -   e) where the fractions B and optionally C are completely or partly     returned to the process step a), and the fraction D and optionally C     are discharged as product.

The individual streams and fractions can comprise said compounds or consist thereof. In cases where they consist of the streams or compounds, the presence of relatively small amounts of other hydrocarbons is not ruled out.

In this process, in a single-stage reaction procedure, a fraction consisting of C₄-olefins, preferably n-butenes and butanes, is reacted in a metathesis reaction optionally with variable amounts of ethene over a homogeneous or, preferably, heterogeneous metathesis catalyst to give a product mixture of (inert) butanes, unreacted 1-butene, 2-butene, and the metathesis products ethene, propene, 2-pentene and 3-hexene. The desired products 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene are discharged, and the products which remain and unreacted compounds are completely or partly returned to the metathesis. They are preferably returned as completely as possible, with only small amounts being discharged in order to avoid accumulation. Ideally, there is no accumulation and all compounds apart from 3-hexene are returned to the metathesis.

According to the invention, up to 0.6, preferably up to 0.5, molar equivalents of ethene, based on the butenes in the C₄ feed stream, are used. Thus, only small amounts of ethene compared with the prior art are used.

If no additional ethene is introduced, only up to at most about 1.5%, based on the reaction products, of ethene form, which is recirculated, see DE-A-199 32 060. According to the invention, it is also possible to use larger amounts of ethene, the amounts used being significantly lower than in the known processes for the preparation of propene.

In addition, the maximum possible amounts of C₄ products and optionally C₅ products present in the reactor discharge are recirculated according to the invention. This applies in particular to the recirculation of unreacted 1-butene and 2-butene, and optionally of 2-pentene formed.

If small amounts of isobutene are still present in the C₄ feed stream, small amounts of branched hydrocarbons may also be formed.

The amount of branched C₅- and C₆-hydrocarbons which may additionally be formed in the metathesis product is dependent on the isobutene content in the C₄ feed and is preferably kept as low as possible (<3%).

In order to illustrate the process according to the invention in more detail in a plurality of variations, the reaction which takes place in the metathesis reactor is divided into three important individual reactions:

1. Cross-metathesis of 1-butene with 2-butene

2. Self-metathesis of 1-butene

3. Optional ethenolysis of 2-butene

Depending on the respective demand for the target products propene and 3-hexene (the designation 3-hexene includes any isomers formed), and/or 2-pentene, the external mass balance of the process can be influenced in a targeted way by means of variable use of ethene and by shifting the equilibrium by recirculation of certain substreams. Thus, for example, the yield of 3-hexene is increased by suppressing the cross-metathesis of 1-butene with 2-butene by recirculation of 2-pentene to the metathesis step, so that no or extremely little 1-butene is consumed here. During the self-metathesis of 1-butene to 3-hexene, which then preferably proceeds, ethene is additionally formed, which reacts in a subsequent reaction with 2-butene to give the desired product propene.

The butene content of the C₄ fraction used in the process is 1 to 100% by weight, preferably 60 to 90% by weight. The butene content is here based on 1-butene, 2-butene and isobutene.

Preference is given to using a C₄ fraction produced during steam cracking or fluid catalytic cracking or during the dehydrogenation of butane.

Here, the C₄ fraction used is preferably raffinate II, the C₄ stream being freed from undesirable impurities by appropriate treatment over adsorber guard beds, preferably over high-surface-area aluminum oxides or molecular sieves, prior to the metathesis reaction.

The low-boiling fraction A optionally obtained from step b), which comprises C₂-C₃-olefins, is separated by distillation into a fraction comprising ethene and a fraction comprising propene. The fraction comprising ethene is then recirculated to process step a), i.e. the metathesis, and the fraction comprising propene is discharged as product.

In step d), the separation into low-boiling fraction B, intermediate-boiling fraction C and high-boiling fraction D can, for example, be carried out in a dividing wall column. Here, the low-boiling fraction B is obtained at the top, the intermediate-boiling fraction C is obtained via a middle outlet and the high-boiling fraction D is obtained as bottoms.

In order to be able to better handle the differing amounts of products produced in the flexibly controlled process, it is, however, advantageous to carry out a two-stage separation of the high-boiling fraction obtained from b). Preferably, the high-boiling fraction obtained from b) is firstly separated by distillation into a low-boiling fraction B comprising butenes and butanes, and a high-boiling fraction comprising 2-pentene and 3-hexene. The high-boiling fraction is then separated by distillation into fractions C and D. The two embodiments are explained in more detail in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The metathesis reaction is here preferably carried out in the presence of heterogeneous metathesis catalysts which are not or only slightly isomerization-active and are selected from the class of transition metal compounds of metals of group VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements applied to inorganic supports.

The preferred metathesis catalyst used is rhenium oxide on a support, preferably on γ-aluminum oxide or on Al₂O₃/B₂O₃/SiO₂ mixed supports.

In particular, the catalyst used is Re₂O₇/γ-Al₂O₃ with a rhenium oxide content of from 1 to 20% by weight, preferably 3 to 15% by weight, particularly preferably 6 to 12% by weight.

The metathesis is, when carried out in a liquid phase, preferably carried out at a temperature of from 0 to 150° C., particularly preferably 20 to 80° C., and at a pressure of from 2 to 200 bar, particularly preferably 5 to 30 bar.

If the metathesis is carried out in the gas phase, the temperature is preferably 20 to 300° C., particularly preferably 50 to 200° C. The pressure in this case is preferably 1 to 20 bar, particularly preferably 1 to 5 bar.

The preparation of C₅/C₆-olefins and optionally propene from the streams described above or generally C₄ streams may comprise the substeps (1) to (4):

-   (1) removal of butadiene and acetylenic compounds by optional     extraction of butadiene with a butadiene-selective solvent and     subsequently/or selective hydrogenation of butadienes and acetylenic     impurities present in crude C₄ fraction to give a reaction product     which comprises n-butenes and isobutene and essentially no     butadienes and acetylenic compounds, -   (2) removal of isobutene by reaction of the reaction product     obtained in the previous stage with an alcohol in the presence of an     acidic catalyst to give an ether, removal of the ether and the     alcohol, which can be carried out simultaneously with or after the     etherification, to give a reaction product which comprises n-butenes     and optionally oxygen-containing impurities, it being possible to     discharge the ether formed or back-cleave it to obtain pure     isobutene, and to follow the etherification step by a distillation     step for the removal of isobutene, where, optionally, introduced     C₃—, i-C₄- and C₅-hydrocarbons can also be removed by distillation     during the work-up of the ether, or oligomerization or     polymerization of isobutene from the reaction product obtained in     the previous stage in the presence of an acidic catalyst whose acid     strength is suitable for the selective removal of isobutene as     oligoisobutene or polyisobutene, to give a stream containing 0 to     15% of residual isobutene, -   (3) removal of the oxygen-containing impurities from the product of     the preceding steps over appropriately selected adsorber materials, -   (4) metathesis reaction of the resulting raffinate II stream as     described.

The substep of selective hydrogenation of butadiene and acetylenic impurities present in crude C₄ fraction is preferably carried out in two stages by bringing the crude C₄ fraction in the liquid phase into contact with a catalyst which comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium and platinum on a support, preferably palladium on aluminum oxide, at a temperature of from 20 to 200° C., a pressure of from 1 to 50 bar, a volume flow rate of from 0.5 to 30 m³ of fresh feed per m³ of catalyst per hour and a ratio of recycle to feed stream of from 0 to 30 with a molar ratio of hydrogen to diolefins of from 0.5 to 50, to give a reaction product in which, apart from isobutene, the n-butenes 1-butene and 2-butene are present in a molar ratio of from 2:1 to 1:10, preferably from 2:1 to 1:3, and essentially no diolefins and acetylenic compounds are present. For a maximum yield of hexene, 1-butene is preferably present in excess, and for a high protein yield, 2-butene is preferably present in excess. This means that the overall molar ratio in the first case can be 2:1 to 1:1 and in the second case 1:1 to 1:3.

The substep of butadiene extraction from crude C₄ fraction is preferably carried out using a butadiene-selective solvent selected from the class of polar-aprotic solvents, such as acetone, furfural, acetonitrile, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide and N-methylpyrrolidone, to give a reaction product in which, following subsequent selective hydrogenation/isomerization, the n-butenes 1-butene and 2-butene are present in a molar ratio 2:1 to 1:10, preferably from 2:1 to 1:3.

The substep of isobutene etherification is preferably carried out in a three-stage reactor cascade using methanol or isobutanol, preferably isobutanol, in the presence of an acidic ion exchanger, in which the stream to be etherified flows through flooded fixed-bed catalysts from top to bottom, the rector inlet temperature being 0 to 60° C., preferably 10 to 50° C., the outlet temperature being 25 to 85° C., preferably 35 to 75° C., the pressure being 2 to 50 bar, preferably 3 to 20 bar, and the ratio of isobutanol to isobutene being 0.8 to 2.0, preferably 1.0 to 1.5, and the overall conversion corresponding to the equilibrium conversion.

The substep of isobutene removal is preferably carried out by oligomerization or polymerization of isobutene starting from the reaction mixture obtained after the above-described stages of butadiene extraction and/or selective hydrogenation, in the presence of a catalyst selected from the class of homogeneous and heterogeneous Broensted or Lewis acids, see DE-A-100 13 253.

Selective Hydrogenation of Crude C₄ Fraction

Alkynes, alkynenes and alkadienes are undesired substances in many industrial syntheses owing to their tendency to polymerize or their pronounced tendency to form complexes with transition metals. They sometimes have a very strong adverse effect on the catalysts used in these reactions.

The C₄ stream of a steam cracker contains a high proportion of polyunsaturated compounds such as 1,3-butadiene, 1-butyne (ethylacetylene) and butenyne (vinylacetylene). Depending on the downstream processing present, the polyunsaturated compounds are either extracted (butadiene extraction) or are selectively hydrogenated. In the former case, the residual content of polyunsaturated compounds is typically 0.05 to 0.3% by weight, and in the latter case is typically 0.1 to 4.0% by weight. Since the residual amounts of polyunsaturated compounds likewise interfere in the further processing, a further concentration by selective hydrogenation to values <10 ppm is necessary. In order to obtain the highest possible proportion of the desired butenes, over-hydrogenation to butanes must be kept as low as possible.

Alternative: Extraction of Butadiene from Crude C₄ Fraction

The preferred method of isolating butadiene is based on the physical principle of extractive distillation. The addition of selective organic solvents lowers the volatility of specific components of a mixture, in this case butadiene. For this reason, these remain with the solvent in the bottom of the distillation column, while the accompanying substances which were not previously able to be separated off by distillation can be taken off at the top. Solvents used for the extractive distillation are mainly acetone, furfural, acetonitrile, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). Extractive distillations are particularly suitable for butadiene-rich C₄ cracker fractions having a relatively high proportion of alkynes, including methylacetylene, ethylacetylene and vinylacetylene, and methylallene.

The simplified principle of solvent extraction from crude C₄ fraction can be described as follows: the completely vaporized C₄ fraction is fed to an extraction column at its lower end. The solvent (DMF, NMP) flows from the top in the opposite direction to the gas mixture and on its way downward becomes laden with the more soluble butadiene and small amounts of butenes. At the lower end of the extraction column, part of the pure butadiene which has been isolated is fed in in order to drive out the butenes as far as possible. The butenes leave the separation column at the top. In a further column, referred to as a degasser, the butadiene is freed from the solvent by boiling out and is subsequently purified by distillation.

The reaction product from an extractive butadiene distillation is usually fed to the second stage of a selective hydrogenation in order to reduce the residual butadiene content to values of <10 ppm.

The C₄ stream remaining after butadiene has been separated off is referred to as C₄ raffinate or raffinate I and comprises mainly the components isobutene, 1-butene, 2-butenes, and n- and isobutenes.

Separating Off Isobutene from Raffinate I

In the further separation of the C₄ stream, isobutene is preferably isolated next since it differs from the other C₄ components by virtue of its branching and its higher reactivity. Apart from the possibility of a shape-selective molecular sieve separation, by means of which isobutene can be isolated in a purity of 99% and n-butenes and butane adsorbed on the molecular sieve pores can be desorbed again using a higher-boiling hydrocarbon this is carried out in the first instance by distillation using a deisobutenizer, by means of which isobutene is separated off together with 1-butene and isobutene at the top, and 2-butenes and n-butane together with residual amounts of iso- and 1-butene remain in the bottoms, or extractively by reaction of isobutene with alcohols over acidic ion exchangers. Methanol (→MTBE) or isobutanol (IBTBE) are preferably used for this purpose.

The preparation of MTBE from methanol and isobutene is carried out at 30 to 100° C. and at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure in the liquid phase over acidic ion exchangers. The process is carried out either in two reactors or in a two-stage shaft reactor in order to achieve virtually complete isobutene conversion (>99%). The pressure-dependent azeotrope formation between methanol and MTBE requires a multistage pressure distillation to isolate pure MTBE, or is achieved by relatively new technology using methanol adsorption on adsorber resins. All other components of the C₄ fraction remain unchanged. Since small proportions of diolefins and acetylenes can shorten the life of the ion exchanger as a result of polymer formation, preference is given to using bifunctional PD-containing ion exchangers, in the case of which, in the presence of small amounts of hydrogen, only diolefins and acetylenes are hydrogenated. The etherification of the isobutene remains uninfluenced by this.

MTBE serves primarily to increase the octane number of gasoline. MTBE and IBTBE can alternatively be back-cleaved in the gas phase at 150 to 300° C. over acidic oxides to obtain pure isobutene.

A further possibility for separating off isobutene from raffinate I consists in the direct synthesis of oligo/polyisobutene. In this way it is possible, over acidic homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, such as e.g. tungsten trioxide and titanium dioxide, and at isobutene conversions up to 95%, to obtain a product stream which has a residual isobutene content of a maximum of 5%.

Feed Purification of the Raffinate II Stream Over Adsorber Materials

To improve the operation life of catalysts used for the subsequent metathesis step, it is necessary, as described above, to use a feed purification (guard bed) for removing catalyst poisons, such as, for example, water, oxygen-containing compounds, sulfur or sulfur compounds or organic halides.

Processes for adsorption or adsorptive purification are described, for example, in W. Kast, Adsorption aus der Gasphase, VCH, Weinheim (1988). The use of zeolitic adsorbents is described in D. W. Breck, Zeolite Molecular Sieves, Wiley, New York (1974).

The removal of, specifically, acetaldehyde from C₃- to C₁₅-hydrocarbons in the liquid phase can be carried out as in EP-A-0 582 901.

Selective Hydrogenation of Crude C₄ Fraction

Butadiene (1,2- and 1,3-butadiene) and alkynes or alkenynes present in the C₄ fraction are firstly selectively hydrogenated in a two-stage process from the crude C₄ fraction originating from a steam cracker or a refinery. According to one embodiment, the C₄ stream originating from the refinery can also be fed directly to the second step of the selective hydrogenation.

The first step of the hydrogenation is preferably carried out over a catalyst which comprises 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of palladium on aluminum oxide as support. The reaction is carried out in the gas/liquid phase in a fixed bed (downflow mode) with a liquid cycle. The hydrogenation is carried out at a temperature in the range from 40 to 80° C. and at a pressure of from 10 to 30 bar, a molar ratio of hydrogen to butadiene of from 10 to 50 and an LHSV of up to 15 m³ of fresh feed per m³ of catalyst per hour and a ratio of recycle to feed stream of from 5 to 20.

The second step of the hydrogenation is preferably carried out over a catalyst which comprises 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of palladium on aluminum oxide as support. The reaction is carried out in the gas/liquid phase over a fixed bed (downflow mode) with a liquid cycle. The hydrogenation is carried out at a temperature in the range from 50 to 90° C. and at a pressure from 10 to 30 bar, a molar ratio of hydrogen to butadiene of from 1.0 to 10 and an LHSV of from 5 to 20 m³ of fresh feed per m³ of catalyst per hour and a ratio of recycle to feed stream of from 0 to 15.

The resulting reaction product is referred to as raffinate I and, in addition to isobutene, has 1-butene and 2-butene in a molar ratio of from 2:1 to 1:10, preferably from 2:1 to 1:3.

Alternative: Separating Off Butadiene from Crude C₄ Fraction by Extraction

The extraction of butadiene from crude C₄ fraction is carried out using N-methylpyrrolidone.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the reaction product of the extraction is fed to the second stage of the selective hydrogenation described above in order to remove residual amounts of butadiene, the desired ratio of 1-butene to 2-butene being set in this selective hydrogenation step.

Separating Off Isobutene by Means of Etherification with Alcohols

In the etherification stage, isobutene is reacted with alcohols, preferably with isobutanol, over an acidic catalyst, preferably over an acidic ion exchanger, to give ethers preferably isobutyl tert-butyl ether. According to one embodiment of the invention, the reaction is carried out in a three-stage reactor cascade, in which the reaction mixture flows through flooded fixed-bed catalysts from top to bottom. In the first reactor the inlet temperature is 0 to 60° C., preferably 10 to 50° C.; the outlet temperature is between 25 and 85° C., preferably between 35 and 75° C., and the pressure is 2 to 50 bar, preferably 3 to 20 bar. At a ratio of isobutanol to isobutene of from 0.8 to 2.0, preferably 1.0 to 1.5, the conversion is between 70 and 90%.

In the second reactor the inlet temperature is 0 to 60° C., preferably 10 to 50° C.; the outlet temperature is between 25 and 85, preferably between 35 and 75° C., and the pressure is 2 to 50 bar, preferably 3 to 20 bar. The overall conversion over the two stages increases to 85 to 99%, preferably 90 to 97%.

In the third and largest reactor, equilibrium conversion is achieved at equal inlet and outlet temperatures of from 0 to 60° C., preferably 10 to 50° C. The etherification and removal of the ether formed is followed by ether cleavage: the endothermic reaction is carried out over acidic catalysts, preferably over acidic heterogeneous catalysts, for example phosphoric acid on an SiO₂ support, at an inlet temperature of from 150 to 300° C., preferably at 200 to 250° C., and an outlet temperature of from 100 to 250° C., preferably at 130 to 220° C.

If an FCC C₄ fraction is used, it is to be expected that propane in amounts of around 1% by weight, isobutene in amounts of around 30 to 40% by weight, and C₅-hydrocarbons in amounts of around 3 to 10% will be introduced, which may adversely affect the subsequent process sequence. The work-up of the ether accordingly provides the opportunity of separating off the components mentioned by distillation.

The resulting reaction product, referred to as raffinate II, has a residual isobutene content of from 0.1 to 3% by weight.

If larger amounts of isobutene are present in the product, for example when FCC C₄ fractions are used or when isobutene is separated off by acid-catalyzed polymerization to give polyisobutene (partial conversion), the raffinate stream which remains can, according to one embodiment of the invention, be worked up by distillation prior to further processing.

Purification of the Raffinate II Stream Over Adsorber Materials

The raffinate II stream obtained after the etherification/polymerization (or distillation) is preferably purified over at least one guard bed consisting of high surface-area aluminum oxides, silica gels, alumino-silicates or molecular sieves. The guard bed serves here to dry the C₄ stream and to remove substances which may act as catalyst poisons in the subsequent metathesis step. The preferred adsorber materials are Selexsorb CD and CDO and also 3 Π and NaX molecular sieves (13X). The purification is carried out in drying towers at temperatures and pressures which are chosen such that all components are present in the liquid phase. Optionally, the purification step is used to preheat the feed for the subsequent metathesis step.

The raffinate II stream which remains is virtually free from water, oxygen-containing compounds, organic chlorides and sulfur compounds. The procedure can generally be used for C₄ feed streams.

When the etherification step is carried out with methanol for preparing MTBE, the formation of dimethyl ether as secondary component may make it necessary to combine two or more purification steps or to connect them in series.

Preferred metathesis catalysts are heterogeneous rhenium catalysts known from the literature, such as ReO₇ on γ-Al₂O₃ or on mixed supports, such as e.g. SiO₂/Al₂O₃, B₂O₃/SiO₂Al₂O₃ or Fe₂O₃/Al₂O₃ having different metal contents. The rhenium oxide content is, regardless of the support chosen, between 1 and 20%, preferably between 3 and 10%.

The catalysts are used in freshly calcined form and require no further activation (e.g. by means of alkylating agents). Deactivated catalyst can be regenerated a number of times by burning off carbon residues at temperatures above 400° C. in a stream of air and cooling under an inert gas atmosphere.

A comparison of the heterogeneous catalysts shows that Re₂O₇/Al₂O₃ is active even under very mild reaction conditions (T=20 to 80° C.), while MO3/SiO₂ (M=Mo, W) develops activity only at temperatures above 100 to 150° C. and, consequently, C═C double bond isomerization can occur as secondary reactions.

Mention may also be made of:

-   -   WO₃/SiO₂, prepared from (C₅H₅)W(CO)₃Cl and SiO₂ in J. Mol.         Catal. 1995, 95, 75-83;     -   3-component system consisting of [Mo(NO)₂(OR)₂]_(n), SnEt4 and         AlCl₃ in J. Mol. Catal. 1991, 64, 171-178 and J. Mol. Catal         1989, 57, 207-220;     -   nitrodomolybdenum (VI) complexes from highly active precatalysts         in J. Organomet. Chem. 1982, 229, C₁₉-C₂₃;     -   heterogeneous SiO₂-supported MoO₃ and WO₃ catalysts in J. Chem.         Soc., Faraday Trans./1982, 78, 2583-2592;     -   supported Mo catalysts in J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans./1981,         77, 1763-1777;     -   active tungsten catalyst precursor in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1980,         102(21), 6572-6574;     -   acetonitrile(pentacarbonyl)tungsten in J. Catal. 1975, 38,         482-484;     -   trichloro(nitrosyl)molybdenum(II) as catalyst precursor in Z.         Chem. 1974, 14, 284-285;     -   W(CO)₅PPH3/EtAlCl₂ in J. Catal. 1974, 34, 196-202;     -   WCl₆/n-BuLi in J. Catal 1973, 28, 300-303;     -   WCl₆/n-BuLi in J. Catal. 1972, 26, 455-458;

-   FR 2 726 563: O₃ReO[Al(OR)(L)xO]_(n)ReO₃ where R═C₁-C₄₀-hydrocarbon,     n=1-10, x=0 or 1 and L=solvent,

-   EP-A-191 0 675, EP-A-129 0 474, BE 899897: catalyst systems     comprising tungsten, 2 substituted phenoxide radicals and 4 other     ligands, including a halogen, alkyl or carbene group,

-   FR 2 499 083: catalyst system comprising a tungsten, molybdenum or     rhenium oxo transition metal complex with a Lewis acid,

-   U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,468: catalyst system comprising a tungsten salt,     an oxygen-containing aromatic compound, e.g. 2,6-dichlorophenol and,     if desired, molecular oxygen,

-   BE 776,564: catalyst system comprising a transition metal salt, an     organometallic compound and an amine.

To improve the cycle time of the catalysts used, especially of the supported catalysts, it is advisable to purify the feed over adsorber beds (guard beds). The guard bed serves here to dry the C₄ stream and to remove substances which may act as catalyst poisons in the subsequent metathesis step. The preferred adsorber materials are Selexsorb CD and CDO and 3 Π and NaX molecular sieves (13X). The purification is carried out in drying towers at temperatures and pressures which are preferably chosen such that all of the components are present in the liquid phase. Optionally, the purification step is used for preheating the feed for the subsequent metathesis step. It may be advantageous to combine two or more purification steps with one another or to connect them in series.

Pressure and temperature in the metathesis step is chosen such that all reactants are present in the liquid phase (usually=0 to 150° C., preferably 20 to 80° C.; p=2 to 200 bar). Alternatively, it may, however, be advantageous, particularly in the case of feed streams having a relatively high isobutene content, to carry out the reaction in the gas phase and/or to use a catalyst which has lower acidity.

The reaction is generally complete after from 1 s to 1 h, preferably after 30 s to 30 min. It may be carried out continuously or batchwise in reactors such as pressurized-gas vessels, flow tubes or reactive distillation apparatuses, with preference being given to flow tubes.

Stage a2)

Alternatively to stages a1) and b1), the described stage a2) can also be carried out. In this stage, a C₆-olefin mixture is prepared by dehydrogenating C₆-alkanes with optional upstream or downstream isomerization. The dehydrogenation can be carried out in accordance with processes as have been described above for the dehydrogenation of butanes. Reference may again be made to DE-A-100 47 642 and the other literature cited above.

Alternatively, the C₆-olefin mixture can be prepared by dimerizing propylene or by coupling ethene and butene (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,093, 5,063,191, NL6805518, GB-990465), by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (gas to liquid, see Weissermel Arpe p. 23 ff.) or by chromium-catalyzed ethene selective trimerization (see WO 00/58319 and the references given therein). Furthermore a hexene fraction from the Shell-Higher-Olefin-Process (SHOP) is possible (see Weissermel, Arpe, p. 96 ff. or in Cornils, Herrmann, Applied homogeneous catalysis with organometallic compounds, vol. 1, number 2.3.1.3, VCH-Weinheim, 1996).

Weissermel, Arpe, p. 92 relates to the di- or oligomerization of propene in accordance with the UOP process. P. 93 describes the Dimersol process. The dimerization of propene is described on p. 94. The SHOP process is illustrated on p. 96. Here, ethylene is firstly oligomerized at 80 to 120° C. and 70 to 140 bar in the presence of a nickel catalyst having phosphine ligands to give an even-numbered, linear α-olefin mixture from which C₁₀₋₁₈-olefins can be directly isolated for the detergent sector. The SHOP process is described in more detail in Cornils, Herrmann on p. 251 ff. Dimerization or co-dimerization are discussed on p. 258 ff.

A further source of C₆-olefins may also be the “J-Flag C6”.

Stage c1) or b2)

In stage c1) or b2), the 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene obtained in stage b1) or a2) is dimerized over a dimerization catalyst to give a C₁₀₋₁₂-olefin mixture. The C₁₀₋₁₂-olefins obtained are optionally separated off.

During the dimerization of the olefins or olefin mixtures obtained in the metathesis step, dimerization products are obtained which, with regard to the further processing to give alkyl aromatics, have particularly favorable components and a particularly advantageous compositions if

a dimerization catalyst is used which contains at least one element from transition group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements,

and the catalyst composition and the reaction conditions are chosen such that a dimer mixture is obtained which contains less than 10% by weight of compounds which have a structural element of the formula I (vinylidene group)

in which A¹ and A² are aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals.

For the dimerization, preference is given to using the internal, linear pentenes and hexenes present in the metathesis product. Particular preference is given to using 3-hexene.

The dimerization may be carried out with homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis. Preference is given to the heterogeneous procedure since here, firstly, catalyst removal is simplified and the process is thus more economical and, secondly, no environmentally harmful wastewaters are produced, as are usually formed during the removal of dissolved catalysts, for example by hydrolysis. A further advantage of the heterogeneous process is that the dimerization product does not contain halogens, in particular chlorine or fluorine. Homogeneously soluble catalysts generally contain halide-containing ligands, or they are used in combination with halogen-containing cocatalysts. Halogen may be incorporated from such catalyst systems into the dimerization products, which considerably impairs both the product quality and also the further processing.

For heterogeneous catalysis, combinations of oxides of metals from transition group VIII with aluminum oxide on support materials of silicon oxides and titanium oxides, as are known, for example, from DE-A-43 39 713, are expediently used. The heterogeneous catalyst can be used in a fixed bed—then preferably in coarse form as 1 to 1.5 mm chips—or in suspended form (particle size 0.05 to 0.5 mm). The dimerization is, in the case of the heterogeneous procedure, expediently carried out at temperatures from 80 to 200° C., preferably from 100 to 180° C., under the pressure prevailing at the reaction temperature, optionally also under a protective gas at a pressure above atmospheric, in a closed system. To achieve optimal conversions, the reaction mixture is circulated a number of times, a certain proportion of the circulating product being continuously discharged and replaced with starting material.

The dimerization according to the invention produces mixtures of monounsaturated hydrocarbons, the components of which predominantly have a chain length twice that of the starting olefins.

Within the scope of the above details, the dimerization catalysts and the reaction conditions are preferably chosen such that at least 80% of the components of the dimerization mixture have one branch, or two branches on adjacent carbon atoms, in the range from ¼ to ¾, preferably from ⅓ to ⅔, of the chain length of their main chain.

A very characteristic feature of the olefin mixtures prepared according to the invention is their high proportion—generally greater than 75%, in particular greater than 80%-of components with branches, and the low proportion—generally below 25, in particular below 20%—of unbranched olefins. A further characteristic is that, at the branching sites of the main chain, predominantly groups having (y-4) and (y-5) carbon atoms are bonded, where y is the number of carbon atoms of the monomer used for the dimerization. The value (y-5)=0 means that no side chain is present.

In the case of the C₁₂-olefin mixtures prepared according to the invention, the main chain preferably carries methyl or ethyl groups at the branching points.

The position of the methyl and ethyl groups on the main chain is likewise characteristic: in the case of monosubstitution, the methyl or ethyl groups are in the position P=(n/2)−m of the main chain, where n is the length of the main chain and m is the number of carbon atoms in the side groups, and in the case of disubstitution products, one substituent is in the position P and the other is on the adjacent carbon atom P+1. The proportions of monosubstitution products (single branching) in the olefin mixture prepared according to the invention are characteristically in total in the range from 40 to 75% by weight, and the proportions of double-branched components are in the range from 5 to 25% by weight.

The olefin mixtures obtainable by the above process (cf. WO 00/39058) are valuable intermediates particularly for the preparation, described below, of branched alkylaromatics for the preparation of surfactants.

Stage a3)

Stage a3) relates, alternatively to stages c1) or b2) in conjunction with the upstream stages, to the preparation of a C₁₂-olefin mixture by trimerization of butenes or dehydrogenation of C₁₂-alkanes with optional upstream or downstream isomerization. It may be a general butene dimerization or oligomerization in which the trimer fraction is separated off and reused. It may, however, according to the invention, also be a chromium-catalyzed selective trimerization of butene-containing mixtures. The butene-containing mixtures can be derived, for example, from the C₄-olefin mixtures obtained in stage a1) and which are obtained from LPG, LNG or MTO streams.

The trimerization of butene-containing mixtures to give dodenzene (“dodecene-N”) can be carried out in accordance with EP-A-0 730 567, WO 99/25668 or by oligomerization of butenes. Distillative removal of the C₈-olefins (main product) and of the C₁₆₊-olefin residue gives a C₁₂-olefin mixture with an iso index of 1.9 to 2,4.

The chromium-catalyzed trimerization is described, for example, in WO 00/58319 and also EP-A-0 780 353, DE-A-196 07 888, EP-A-0 537 609. The specifications give suitable catalysts and procedures.

The dehydrogenation of C₁₂-alkanes with optional upstream or downstream isomerization, possible in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, can be carried out as for the other dehydrogenation processes described above. Reference may again be made to DE-A-100 47 642.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, C₁₂-olefin from the oligomerizarion of ethene (SHOP process), e.g. NEODENE 12 (see WO 98/23566), can be skeletally isomerized to give a suitably branched dodecene. Here, use is made of processes as are described, for example, in WO 98/23566.

Other suitable processes for the preparation of dodecene are the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (Gas to Liquid), see Weissermel, Arpe, p. 23, the dimerization of 1-hexene from the chromium-catalyzed ethene selective trimerization (WO 00/58319), the Dimerisol X process, see Cornils, Herrmann, p. 259 ff. and the Octol A or Octol B process. The Dimersol-X process of the IFP is described, for example, in Hydrocarbon Processing 1981, 99. The Octol A and Octol B process is described, for example, in Hydrocarbon Processing 1992,45.

Stage d1) or c2) or b3)

In stage d1) or c2) or b3), the C₁₀₋₁₂-olefin mixture or C₁₂-olefin mixture obtained in stage c1) or b2) or a3), respectively, is reacted with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylating catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds.

Here, preference is given to using an alkylation catalyst which leads to alkylaromatic compounds which have, in the alkyl radical, one to three carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1.

The alkylation can in principle be carried out in the presence of any alkylation catalysts.

Although AlCl₃ and HF can in principle be used, heterogeneous or shape-selective catalysts offer advantages. For reasons of plant safety and environmental protection, preference is nowadays given to solid catalysts, which include, for example, the fluorinated Si/Al catalyst used in the DETAL process, a number of shape-selective catalysts or supported metal oxide catalysts, and phyllosilicates and clays.

Regardless of the large influence of the feedstock used, in choosing the catalyst it is important to minimize compounds formed by the catalyst which are notable for the fact that they include carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0. Furthermore, compounds should be formed which, on average, have 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1. This may, in particular, be achieved through the choice of suitable catalysts which, on the one hand, as a result of their geometry, suppress the formation of the undesired products but, on the other hand, permit an adequate rate of reaction.

The H/C index defines the number of protons per carbon atom in the alkyl radical.

Moreover, in choosing the catalysts, their tendency with regard to deactivation must be taken into consideration. One-dimensional pore systems in most cases have the disadvantage of rapid blocking of the pores as a result of degradation or formative products from the process. Catalysts with polydimensional pore systems are therefore to be preferred.

The catalysts used can be of natural or synthetic origin, the properties of which can be adjusted by methods known in the literature (e.g. ion exchange, steaming, blocking of acidic centers, washing out of extra lattice species, etc.) to a certain extent. It is important for the present invention that the catalysts at least in part have acidic character.

Depending on the type of application, the catalysts are either in the form of powders or in the form of moldings. The linkages of the matrices of the moldings ensure adequate mechanical stability, although free access by the molecules to the active constituents of the catalysts is to be ensured by sufficient porosity of the matrices. The preparation of such moldings is known in the literature and is detailed under the prior art.

Possible catalysts for the alkylation (nonexhaustive list) are:

-   AlCl₃, AlCl₃/support (WO 96/26787), HF, H₂SO₄, ionic liquids (e.g.     WO 98/50153), perfluorinated ion exchangers or NAFION/silica (e.g.     WO 99/06145), F—Si/Al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,997) -   Beta (e.g. WO 98/09929, U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,370, U.S. Pat. No.     4,301,316, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,317) faujasite (CN 1169889),     phyllosilicates, clays (EP 711600), fluorinated mordenite (WO     00/23405), mordenite (EP 466558), ZSM 12, ZSM-20, ZSM-38, mazzite,     zeolite L, cancrinite, gmellinite, offretite, MCM-22, etc.

Preference is given to shape-selective 12-ring zeolites.

Preferred Reaction Method

The alkylation is carried out by allowing the aromatic compounds (the aromatic compound mixture) and the olefin (mixture) to react in a suitable reaction zone by bringing them into contact with the catalyst, working up the reaction mixture after the reaction and thus obtaining the desired products.

Suitable reaction zones are, for example, tubular reactors or stirred-tank reactors. If the catalyst is in solid form, then it can be used either as a slurry, as a fixed bed or as a fluidized bed.

Where a fixed-bed reactor is used, the reactants can be introduced either in cocurrent or in countercurrent. Realization as a catalytic distillation is also possible.

The reactants are either in the liquid and/or in the gaseous state.

The reaction temperature is chosen such that, on the one hand, as complete as possible a conversion of the olefin takes place and, on the other hand, the fewest possible by-products arise. The choice of temperature also depends decisively on the catalyst chosen. Reaction temperatures between 50° C. and 500° C. (preferably 80 to 350° C., particularly preferably 80-250° C.) can also be used.

The pressure of the reaction depends on the procedure chosen (reactor type) and is between 0.1 and 100 bar, and the space velocity (WHSV) is chosen between 0.1 and 100.

The reactants can optionally be diluted with inert substances. Inert substances are preferably paraffins.

The ratio of aromatic compound:olefin is usually set between 1:1 and 100:1 (preferably 2:1-20:1).

Aromatic Feed Substances

All aromatic hydrocarbons of the formula Ar—R are possible, where Ar is a monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon radical, and R is chosen from H, C₁₋₅-, preferably C₁₋₃-alkyl, OH, OR etc., preferably H or C₁₋₃-alkyl. Preference is given to benzene and toluene. As an alternative to the above-described sequences, the alkylaryl compounds which have 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1 in the alkyl radical and in which the proportion of carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0 in the alkyl radical is statistically less than 15% can be obtained by isomerization of linear alkylbenzenes or transalkylation of heavy alkylbenzenes with benzene. The isomerization of linear alkylbenzenes (LAB) can here be carried out in accordance with any suitable process. The transalkylation of heavy alkylbenzenes, in particular isomeric didodecylbenzenes, with benzene can optionally be carried out with isomerization of the side chain. The reaction conditions may correspond to conditions of customary processes.

Regardless of the large influence of the feedstock used, in choosing the catalyst used according to the invention (e.g. mordenite, beta-zeolite, L-zeolite or faujasite), it is important to minimize compounds formed by the catalyst which are notable for the fact that they include carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0 in the side chain. The proportion of carbon atoms in the alkyl radical with an H/C index of 0 should, on statistical average of all compounds, be less than 15% (preferably less than 1%).

The H/C index defines the number of protons per carbon atom.

The olefins used according to the process of the invention preferably have no carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0 in the side chain. If, then, the alkylation of the aromatic with the olefin is carried out under conditions as described here and in which no backbone isomerization of the olefin takes place, then carbon atoms with an H/C index of 0 can only arise in the benzyl position relative to the aromatic, i.e. it suffices to ascertain the H/C index of the benzylic carbon atoms.

Furthermore, compounds should be formed which, on average, have 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1 in the side chain. This is achieved, in particular, through the choice of a suitable feedstock and also suitable catalysts which, on the one hand, as a result of their geometry, suppress the formation of the undesired products but, on the other hand, permit an adequate rate of reaction.

Catalysts for the process according to the invention are, in particular, zeolites of the mordenite, beta-zeolite, L-zeolite or faujasite type, or modifications thereof. Modifications are to be understood as meaning modified zeolites which can be prepared, for example, by processes such as ion exchange, steaming, blocking of external centers etc. The catalysts they are characterized, in particular, by the fact that, in the X-ray powder diffractogram, comprise more than 20% of a phase which can be indicated by the structure of mordenite, of beta-zeolite, of L-zeolite or of faujasite.

Nonexhaustive examples of customary ingredients of detergents and cleaners according to the invention are listed below.

Bleach

Examples are alkali metal perborates or alkali metal carbonate perhydrates, in particular the sodium salts.

One example of an organic peracid which can be used is peracetic acid, which is preferably used in commercial textile washing or commercial cleaning.

Bleach or textile detergent compositions which can be used advantageously comprise C₁₋₁₂-percarboxylic acids, C₈₋₁₆-dipercarboxylic acids, imidopercaproic acids or aryldipercaproic acids. Preferred examples of acids which can be used are peracetic acid, linear or branched octane-, nonane-, decane- or dodecane-monoperacids, decane- and dodecane-diperacid, mono- and diperphthalic acids, -isophthalic acids and -terephthalic acids, phthalimidopercaproic acid and terephthaloyldipercaproic acid. It is likewise possible to use polymeric peracids, for example those which contain the acrylic acid basic building blocks in which a peroxy function is present. The percarboxylic acids may be used as free acids or as salts of the acids, preferably alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts.

Bleach Activator

Bleach catalysts are, for example, quaternized imines and sulfonimines, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,360,568, 5,360,569 and EP-A-0 453 003, and also manganese complexes as described, for example, in WO-A 94/21777. Further metal-containing bleach catalysts which may be used are described in EP-A-0 458 397, EP-A-0 458 398, EP-A-0 549 272.

Bleach activators are, for example, compounds from the classes of substance below:

polyacylated sugars or sugar derivatives having C₁₋₁₀-acyl radicals, preferably acetyl, propionyl, octanoyl, nonanoyl or benzoyl radicals, particularly preferably acetyl radicals, can be used as bleach activators. As sugars or sugar derivatives, it is possible to use mono- or disaccharides, and reduced or oxidized derivatives thereof, preferably glucose, mannose, fructose, sucrose, xylose of lactose. Particularly suitable bleach activators of this class of substance are, for example, pentaacetylglucose, xylose tetraacetate, 1-benzoyl-2,3,4,6-tetraacetylglucose and 1-octanoyl-2,3,4,6-tetraacetylglucose.

A further class of substance which can be used comprises the acyloxybenzenesulfonic acids and alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts thereof, it being possible to use C₁₋₁₄-acyl radicals. Preference is given to acetyl, propionyl, octanoyl, nonanoyl and benzoyl radicals, in particular acetyl radicals and nonanoyl radicals. Particularly suitable bleach activators from this class of substance are acetyloxybenzenesulfonic acid (isoNOBS). They are preferably used in the form of their sodium salts.

It is also possible to use O-acyl oxime esters, such as, for example, O-acetylacetone oxime, O-benzoylacetone oxime, bis(propylimino) carbonate, bis(cyclohexylimino) carbonate. Examples of acylated oximes which can be used according to the invention are described, for example, in EP-A-0 028 432. Oxime esters which can be used according to the invention are described, for example, EP-A-0 267 046.

It is likewise possible to use N-acylcaprolactams, such as, for example, N-acetylcaprolactam, N-benzoylcaprolactam, N-octanoylcaprolactam, carbonylbiscaprolactam.

It is also possible to use

-   -   N-diacylated and N,N′-tetraacylated amines, e.g.         N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetylmethylenediamine and -ethylenediamine         (TADE), N,N-diacetylaniline, N,N-diacetyl-p-toluidine or         1,3-diacylated hydantoins, such as         1,3-diacetyl-5,5-dimethylhydantoin;     -   N-alkyl-N-sulfonylcarboxamides, e.g. N-methyl-N-mesylacetamide         or N-methyl-N-mesylbenzamide;     -   N-acylated cyclic hydrazides, acylated triazoles or urazoles,         e.g. monoacetylmaleic hydrazide;     -   O,N,N-trisubstituted hydroxylamines, e.g.         O-benzoyl-N,N-succinylhydroxylamine,         O-acetyl-N,N-succinylhydroxylamine or         O,N,N-triacetylhydroxylamine;     -   N,N′-diacylsulfurylamides, e.g.         N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-diacetylsulfurylamide or         N,N′-diethyl-N,N′-di-propionylsulfurylamide;     -   triacyl cyanurate, e.g. triacetyl cyanurate or tribenzoyl         cyanurate;     -   carboxylic anhydrides, e.g. benzoic anhydride, m-chlorobenzoic         anhydride or phthalic anhydride;     -   -1,3-diacyl4,5-diacyloxyimidazolines, e.g.         1,3-diacetyl4,5-diacetoxyimidazoline;     -   tetraacetylglycoluril and tetrapropionylglycoluril;     -   diacylated 2,5-diketopiperazines, e.g.         1,4-diacetyl-2,5-diketopiperazine;     -   acylation products of propylenediurea and         2,2,-dimethylpropylenediurea, e.g. tetraacetylpropylenediurea;     -   α-acyloxypolyacylmalonamides, e.g.         α-acetoxy-N,N′-diacetylmalonamide;     -   diacyldioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazines, e.g.         1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine.

It is likewise possible to use 1-alkyl- or 1-aryl-(4H)-3,1-benzoxazin-4-ones, as are described, for example, in EP-B1-0 332 294 and EP-B 0 502 013. In particular, it is possible to use 2-phenyl-(4H)-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one and 2-methyl-(4H)-3,1-benzoaxazin-4-one.

It is also possible to use cationic nitrites, as described, for example, in EP 303 520 and EP 458 391 A1. Examples of suitable cationic nitrites are the methosulfates or tosylates of trimethylammoniumacetonitrile, N,N-dimethyl-N-octylammoniumacetonitrile, 2-(trimethylammonium)propionitrile, 2-(trimethylammonium)-2-methylpropionitrile, N-methylpiperazinium-N,N′-diacetonitrile and N-methylmorpholiniumacetonitrile.

Particularly suitable crystalline bleach activators are tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), NOBS, isoNOBS, carbonylbiscaprolactam, benzoylcaprolactam, bis(2-propylimino) carbonate, bis(cyclohexylimino) carbonate, O-benzoylacetone oxime and 1-phenyl-(4H)-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one, anthranil, phenylanthranil, N-methylmorpholinoacetonitrile, N-octanoylcaprolactam (OCL) and N-methylpiperazine-N,N′-diacetonitrile, and liquid or poorly crystallizing bleach activators in a form formulated as a solid product.

Bleach Stabilizer

These are additives which are able to adsorb, bind or complex traces of heavy metal. Examples of additives with a bleach-stabilizing action which can be used according to the invention are polyanionic compounds, such as polyphosphates, polycarboxylates, polyhydroxy-polycarboxylates, soluble silicates in the form of completely or partially neutralized alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts, in particular in the form of neutral Na or Mg salts, which are relatively weak bleach stabilizers. Strong bleach stabilizers which can be used according to the invention are, for example, complexing agents, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), β-alaninediacetic acid (ADA), ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinate (EDDS) and phosphonates, such as ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonate, diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonate or hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid in the form of the acids or as partially or completely neutralized alkali metal salts. The complexing agents are preferably used in the form of their Na salts.

The detergents according to the invention preferably comprise at least one bleach stabilizer, particularly preferably at least one of the abovementioned strong bleach stabilizers.

In the field of textile washing, bleaching and household cleaning and in the commercial sector, the bleach or textile detergent compositions described may, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, comprise virtually all customary constituents of detergents, bleaches and cleaners. In this way, it is possible, for example, to formulate compositions which are specifically suitable for textile treatment at low temperatures, and also those which are suitable in a number of temperature ranges up to and including the traditional range of the boil wash.

In addition to bleach compositions, the main constituents of textile detergents and cleaners are builders, i.e. inorganic builders and/or organic cobuilders, and surfactants, in particular anionic and/or nonionic surfactants. In addition, it is also possible for other customary auxiliaries and adjuncts, such as extenders, complexing agents, phosphonates, dyes, corrosion inhibitors, antiredeposition agents and/or soil release polymers, color-transfer inhibitors, bleach catalysts, peroxide stabilizers, electrolytes, optical brighteners, enzymes, perfume oils, foam regulators and activating substances, to be present in these compositions if this is advantageous.

Inorganic Builders (Builder Substances)

Suitable inorganic builder substances are all customary inorganic builders, such as aluminosilicates, silicates, carbonates and phosphates.

Examples of suitable inorganic builders are alumino-silicates having ion-exchanging properties, such as, for example, zeolites. Various types of zeolites are suitable, in particular zeolite A, X, B, P, MAP and HS in their Na form or in forms in which Na has partially been replaced by other cations such Li, K, Ca, Mg or ammonium. Suitable zeolites are described, for example, in EP-A 038 591, EP-A 021 491, EP-A 087 035, U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,224, GB-A2 013 259, EP-A 522 726, EP-A 384 070 and WO-A 94/24 251.

Further suitable inorganic builders are, for example, amorphous or crystalline silicates, such as, for example, amorphous disilicates, crystalline disilicates, such as the phyllosilicate SKS-6 (manufacturer: Hoechst). The silicates can be used in the form of their alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium salts. Preference is given to using Na, Li and Mg silicates.

Anionic Surfactants

Suitable anionic surfactants are the linear and/or slightly branched alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS) according to the invention.

Further suitable anionic surfactants are, for example, fatty alcohol sulfates of fatty alcohols having 8 to 22, preferably 10 to 18, carbon atoms, e.g. C₉- to C₁₁-alcohol sulfates, C₁₂- to C₁₃-alcohol sulfates, cetyl sulfate, myristyl sulfate, palmityl sulfate, stearyl sulfate and tallow fatty alcohol sulfate.

Further suitable anionic surfactants are sulfated ethoxylated C₈- to C₂₂-alcohols (alkyl ether sulfates) or soluble salts thereof. Compounds of this type are prepared, for example, by firstly alkoxylating a C₈- to C₂₂-alcohol, preferably a C₁₀-C₁₈-alcohol, e.g. a fatty alcohol, and then sulfating the alkoxylation product. For the alkoxylation, preference is given to using ethylene oxide, in which case 2 to 50 mol, preferably 3 to 20 mol, of ethylene oxide are used per mole of fatty alcohol. The alkoxylation of the alcohols can, however, also be carried out using propylene oxide on its own and optionally butylene oxide. Also suitable are those alkoxylated C₈- to C₂₂-alcohols which contain ethylene oxide and propylene oxide or ethylene oxide and butylene oxide. The alkoxylated C₈- or to C₂₂-alcohols may contain the ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide units in the form of blocks or in random distribution.

Further suitable anionic surfactants are N-acylsarcosinates having aliphatic saturated or unsaturated C₈- to C₂₅-acyl radicals, preferably C₁₀- to C₂₀-acyl radicals, e.g. N-oleoylsarcosinate.

The anionic surfactants are preferably added to the detergent in the form of salts. Suitable cations in these salts are alkali metal salts, such as sodium, potassium and lithium and ammonium salts such as, for example, hydroxyethylammonium, di(hydroxyethyl)ammonium and tri(hydroxyethyl)ammonium salts.

The detergents according to the invention preferably comprise C₁₀- to C₁₃-linear and/or slightly branched alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS).

Nonionic Surfactants

Suitable nonionic surfactants are, for example, alkoxylated C₈- to C₂₂-alcohols, such as fatty alcohol alkoxylates or ox alcohol alkoxylates. The alkoxylation can be carried out with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide. Surfactants which can be used here are any alkoxylated alcohols which contain at least two molecules of an abovementioned alkylene oxide in added form. Block polymers of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide are also suitable here, or addition products which contain said alkylene oxides in random distribution. Per mole of alcohol, 2 to 50, preferably 3 to 20 mol, of at least one alkylene oxide are used. The alkylene oxide used is preferably ethylene oxide. The alcohols preferably have 10 to 18 carbon atoms.

A further class of suitable nonionic surfactants are alkylphenol ethoxylates having C₆-C₁₄-alkyl chains and 5 to 30 mol of ethylene oxide units.

Another class of nonionic surfactants are alkyl polyglucosides having 8 to 22, preferably 10 to 18, carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. These compounds in most cases contain 1 to 20, preferably 1.1 to 5, glucoside units.

Another class of nonionic surfactants are N-alkyl-glucamides of the structure II or III

in which R⁶ is C₆- to C₂₂-alkyl, R⁷ is H or C₁- to C₄-alkyl and R⁸ is a polyhydroxyalkyl radical having 5 to 12 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups. Preferably, R₆ is C₁₀-to C₁₈-alkyl, R⁷ is methyl and R⁸ is a C₅- or C₆-radical. Such compounds are obtained, for example, by the acylation of reductively aminated sugars with acid chlorides of C₁₀-C₁₈-carboxylic acids.

The detergents according to the invention preferably comprise C₁₀-C₁₆-alcohols ethoxylated with 3-12 mol of ethylene oxide, particularly preferably ethoxylated fatty alcohols as nonionic surfactants.

Organic Cobuilder

Examples of suitable low molecular weight polycarboxylates as organic cobuilders are:

-   C₄- to C₂₀-di-, -tri- and -tetracarboxylic acids, such as, for     example, succinic acid, propanetricarboxylic acid,     butanetetracarboxylic acid, cyclopentanetetracarboxylic acid and     alkyl- and alkenylsuccinic acids having C₂- to C₁₆-alkyl or -alkenyl     radicals; -   C₄- to C₂₀-hydroxycarboxylic acids, such as, for example, malic     acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, citric acid,     lactobionic acid and sucrose mono-, -di- and -tricarboxylic acid; -   aminopolycarboxylates, such as, for example, nitrilotriacetic acid,     methylglycinediacetic acid, alaninediacetic acid,     ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and serinediacetic acid; -   salts of phosphonic acids, such as, for example,     hydroxyethanediphosphonic acid,     ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonate) and     diethylenetriaminepenta-(methylenephosphonate).

Examples of suitable oligomeric or polymeric polycarboxylates as organic cobuilders are:

-   oligomaleic acids, as described, for example, in EP-A-451 508 and     EP-A-396 303; -   co- and terpolymers of unsaturated C₄-C₈-dicarboxylic acids, where,     as comonomers, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers -   from group (i) in amounts of up to 95% by weight -   from group (ii) in amounts of up to 60% by weight -   from group (iii) in amounts of up to 20% by weight -   may be present in copolymerized form.

Examples of suitable unsaturated C₄-C₈-dicarboxylic acids are, for example, maleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid and citraconic acid. Preference is given to maleic acid.

The group (i) includes monoethylenically unsaturated C₃-C₈-monocarboxylic acids, such as, for example, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid and vinylacetic acid. Preference is given to using acrylic acid and methacrylic acid from group (i).

The group (ii) includes monoethylenically unsaturated C₂-C₂₂-olefins, vinyl alkyl ethers having C₁-C₈-alkyl groups, styrene, vinyl esters of C₁-C₈ carboxylic acids, (meth)acrylamide and vinylpyrrolidone. Preference is given to using C₂-C₆-olefins, vinyl alkyl ethers having C₁-C₄-alkyl groups, vinyl acetate and vinyl propionate from group (ii).

The group (iii) includes (meth)acrylic esters of C₁-C₈-alcohols, (meth)acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylamides of C₁-C₈-amines, N-vinylformamide and vinylimidazole.

If the polymers of group (ii) contain vinyl esters in copolymerized form, these may also be present partly or completely in hydrolyzed form to give vinyl alcohol structural units. Suitable co- and terpolymers are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,806 and DE-A 43 13 909.

As copolymers of dicarboxylic acids, suitable organic cobuilders are preferably:

-   copolymers of maleic acid and acrylic acid in the weight ratio 10:90     to 95:5, particularly preferably those in the weight ratio 30:70 to     90:10 having molar masses of from 10 000 to 150 000; -   terpolymers of maleic acid, acrylic acid and a vinyl ester of a     C₁-C₃-carboxylic acid in the weight ratio 10(maleic acid):90(acrylic     acid+vinyl ester) to 95(maleic acid):5(acrylic acid+vinyl ester),     where the weight ratio of acrylic acid to vinyl ester can vary in     the range from 20:80 to 80:20, and particularly preferably -   terpolymers of maleic acid, acrylic acid and vinyl acetate or vinyl     propionate in the weight ratio 20(maleic acid):80(acrylic acid+vinyl     ester) to 90(maleic acid):10(acrylic acid+vinyl ester), where the     weight ratio of acrylic acid to the vinyl ester can vary in the     range from 30:70 to 70:30; -   copolymers of maleic acid with C₂-C₈-olefins in the molar ratio     40:60 to 80:20, where copolymers of maleic acid with ethylene,     propylene or isobutane in the molar ratio 50:50 are particularly     preferred.

Graft polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids to low molecular weight carbohydrates or hydrogenated carbohydrates, cf. U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,446, DE-A-44 15 623, DE-A-43 13 909, are likewise suitable as organic cobuilders.

Examples of suitable unsaturated carboxylic acids in this connection are maleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid and vinylacetic acid, and mixtures of acrylic acid and maleic acid which are grafted on in amounts of from 40 to 95% by weight, based on the component to be grafted.

For the modification, it is additionally possible for up to 30% by weight, based on the component to be grafted, of further monoethylenically unsaturated monomers to be present in copolymerized form. Suitable modifying monomers are the abovementioned monomers of groups (ii) and (iii).

Suitable graft bases are degraded polysaccharides, such as, for example, acidic or enzymatically degraded starches, inulins or cellulose, reduced (hydrogenated or reductively aminated) degraded polysaccharides, such as, for example, mannitol, sorbitol, aminosorbitol and glucamine, and also polyalkylene glycols having molar masses up to M_(w)=5000, such as, for example, polyethylene glycols, ethylene oxide/propylene oxide or ethylene oxide/butylene oxide block copolymers, random ethylene oxide/propylene oxide or ethylene oxide/butylene oxide copolymers, alkoxylated mono- or polybasic C₁-C₂₂-alcohols, cf. U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,456.

From this group, preference is given to using grafted degraded or degraded reduced starches and grafted polyethylene oxides, in which case 20 to 80% by weight of monomers, based on the graft component, are used in the graft polymerization. For the grafting, preference is given to using a mixture of maleic acid and acrylic acid in the weight ratio from 90:10 to 10:90.

Polyglyoxylic acids as organic cobuilders are described, for example, in EP-B-001 004, U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,286, DE-A-41 06 355 and EP-A-656 914. The end-groups of the polyglyoxylic acids may have different structures.

Polyamidocarboxylic acids and modified polyamidocarboxylic acids as organic cobuilders are known, for example, from EP-A-454 126, EP-B-511 037, WO-A 94/01486 and EP-A-581 452.

As organic cobuilders, preference is also given to using polyaspartic acid or cocondensates of aspartic acid with further amino acids, C₄-C₂₅-mono- or -dicarboxylic acids and/or C₄-C₂₅-mono- or -diamines. Particular preference is given to using polyaspartic acids prepared in phosphorus-containing acids and modified with C₆-C₂₂-mono- or -dicarboxylic acids or with C₆-C₂₂-mono- or -diamines.

Condensation products of citric acid with hydroxycarboxylic acids or polyhydroxy compounds as organic cobuilders are known, for example, from WO-A 93/22362 and WO-A 92/16493. Such carboxyl-containing condensates usually have molar masses up to 10 000, preferably up to 5000.

Antiredeposition Agents and Soil Release Polymers

Suitable soil release polymers and/or antiredeposition agents for detergents are, for example:

-   polyesters of polyethylene oxides with ethylene glycol and/or     propylene glycol and aromatic dicarboxylic acids or aromatic and     aliphatic dicarboxylic acids; -   polyesters of polyethylene oxides terminally capped at one end with     di- and/or polyhydric alcohols and dicarboxylic acid.

Such polyesters are known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,039, GB-A 1 154 730, EP-A-185 427, EP-A-241 984, EP-A-241 985, EP-A-272 033 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,020.

Further suitable soil release polymers are amphiphilic graft or copolymers of vinyl and/or acrylic esters on polyalkylene oxides (cf. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,746,456, 4,846,995, DE-A-37 11 299, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,904,408, 4,846,994 and 4,849,126) or modified celluloses, such as, for example, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose.

Color-transfer Inhibitors

Examples of the color-transfer inhibitors used are homo- and copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylimidazole, vinyloxazolidone and 4-vinylpyridine N-oxide having molar masses of from 15 000 to 100 000, and crosslinked finely divided polymers based on these monomers. The use mentioned here of such polymers is known, cf. DE-B-22 32 353, DE-A-28 14 287, DE-A-28 14 329 and DE-A-43 16 023.

Enzymes

Suitable enzymes are, for example, proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases, in particular proteases. It is possible to use two or more enzymes in combination.

In addition to use in detergents and cleaners for the domestic washing of textiles, the detergent compositions which can be used according to the invention can also be used in the sector of commercial textile washing and of commercial cleaning. In this field of use, peracetic acid is usually used as bleach, which is added to the wash liquor as an aqueous solution.

Use in Textile Detergents

A typical pulverulent or granular heavy-duty detergent according to the invention may, for example, have the following composition:

-   -   0.5 to 50% by weight, preferably 5 to 30% by weight, of at least         one anionic and/or nonionic surfactant,     -   0.5 to 60% by weight, preferably 15 to 40% by weight, of at         least one inorganic builder,     -   0 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 8% by weight, of at least         one organic cobuilder,     -   2 to 35% by weight, preferably 5 to 30% by weight, of an         inorganic bleach,     -   0.1 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, of a         bleach activator, optionally in admixture with further bleach         activators,     -   0 to 1% by weight, preferably up to at most 0.5% by weight, of a         bleach catalyst,     -   0 to 5% by weight, preferably 0 to 2.5% by weight, of a         polymeric color-transfer inhibitor,     -   0 to 1.5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 1.0% by weight, of         protease,     -   0 to 1.5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 1.0% by weight, of         lipase,     -   0 to 1.5% by weight, preferably 0.2 to 1.0% by weight, of a soil         release polymer, ad 100% with customary auxiliaries and adjuncts         and water.

Inorganic builders preferably used in detergents are sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, zeolite A and P, and amorphous and crystalline Na silicates.

Organic cobuilders preferably used in detergents are acrylic acid/maleic copolymers, acrylic acid/maleic acid/vinyl ester terpolymers and citric acid.

Inorganic bleaches preferably used in detergents are sodium perborate and sodium carbonate perhydrate.

Anionic surfactants preferably used in detergents are the novel linear and slightly branched alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS), fatty alcohol sulfates and soaps. Nonionic surfactants preferably used in detergents are C₁₁-C₁₇-oxo alcohol ethoxylates having 3-13 ethylene oxide units, C₁₀-C₁₆-fatty alcohol ethyoxylates having 3-13 ethylene oxide units, and ethoxylated fatty alcohols or oxo alcohols additionally alkoxylated ethoxylated with 1-4 propylene oxide or butylene oxide units.

Enzymes preferably used in detergents are protease, lipase and cellulase. Of the commercially available enzymes, amounts of from 0.05 to 2.0% by weight, preferably 0.2 to 1.5% by weight, of the formulated enzyme, are generally added to the detergent. Suitable proteases are, for example, Savinase, Desazym and Esperase (manufacturer: Novo Nordisk). A suitable lipase is, for example, Lipolase (manufacturer: Novo Nordisk). A suitable cellulase is, for example, Celluzym (manufacturer: Novo Nordisk).

Soil release polymers and antiredeposition agents preferably used in detergents are graft polymers of vinyl acetate on polyethylene oxide of molecular mass 2500-8000 in the weight ratio 1.2:1 to 3.0:1, polyethylene terephthalates/oxyethylene terephthalates of molar mass 3000 to 25 000 from polyethylene oxides of molar mass 750 to 5000 with terephthalic acid and ethylene oxide and a molar ratio of polyethylene terephthalate to polyoxyethylene terephthalate of from 8:1 to 1:1, and block polycondensates according to DE-A-44 03 866.

Color-transfer inhibitors preferably used in detergents are soluble vinylpyrrolidone and vinylimidazole copolymers having molar masses greater than 25 000, and finely divided crosslinked polymers based on vinylimidazole.

The pulverulent or granular detergents according to the invention can comprise up to 60% by weight of inorganic extenders. Sodium sulfate is usually used for this purpose. However, the detergents according to the invention preferably have a low content of extenders and comprise only up to 20% by weight, particularly preferably only up to 8% by weight, of extenders.

The detergents according to the invention can have various bulk densities in the range from 300 to 1200, in particular 500 to 950 g/l. Modem compact detergents generally have high bulk densities and exhibit a granular structure.

The invention is described in more deteail by reference to the examples below.

EXAMPLES

Dehydrogenation of Butane, Hexane, Dodecane

Example 1

1000 g of a splintered ZrO₂/SiO₂ mixed oxide from SG Norpro (Norpro order No.: SD94032, Lot. No.: 9916311, sieve fraction 1.6 to 2 mm) were covered by pouring over a solution of 11.992 g of SnCl₂*2H₂O (Baker # 4048555) and 7.888 g of H₂PtCl₆*6H₂O (Merck #807340) in 5950 ml of ethanol (BASF # 4147750).

The supernatant ethanol was drawn off on a rotary evaporator. The mixture was then dried for 15 h at 100° C. and calcined for 3 h at 560° C. The resulting catalyst was then covered by pouring over a solution of 7.68 g of CsNO₃ (Aldrich # 28.99337), 13.54 g of KNO₃ (Riedel de Haen # 4018307) and 98.329 g of La(NO₃)₃*6H₂O (Merck # 1.05326) in 23 ml of H₂O (completely demineralized). The supernatant water was drawn off on a rotary evaporator. The mixture was then dried for 15 h at 100° C. and calcined for 3 h at 560° C.

The catalyst had a BET surface area of 85 m²/g. Mercury porosimetry measurements gave a pore volume of 0.29 ml/g.

Example 2

Dehydrogenation of n-butane

20 ml of the catalyst prepared according to Example 1 were inserted into a tubular reactor (material: fully annealed AIN) with an internal diameter of 20 mm. The catalyst was treated for 30 min at 500° C. with hydrogen (>99.5% by volume). The catalyst was then exposed at the same temperature to a mixture of 80% by volume of nitrogen (>99.5% by volume) and 20% by volume of air (>99.5% by volume). After a flushing phase of 15 min with pure nitrogen (>99.5% by volume), the catalyst was reduced for 30 min with hydrogen (>99.5% by volume) at 500° C. The catalyst was then flushed at a reaction temperature of 600° C. with 20 l/h (STP) of n-butane (99.5% by volume) and H₂O (completely demineralized) in the n-butane/water vapor molar ratio of 1:1. The pressure was 1 bar, the space velocity (GHSV) was 1000 h⁻¹. The reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography. After a reaction time of one hour, the n-butane conversion was 55%, the selectivities to 1-butene, trans-2-butene, cis-2-butene and 1,3-butadiene were 40%, 20%, 24% and 14%. After a reaction time of 4 hours, the n-butane conversion was 50%, and the selectivities to 1-butene, trans-2-butene, cis-2-butene and 1,3-butadiene were 40%, 20%, 24% and 13%.

Example 3

Dehydrogenation of n-dodecane

2 g of the catalyst prepared according to Example 1 are thoroughly mixed with 6 g of inert material (steatite) and introduced into a tubular reactor with an internal diameter of 4 mm. The catalyst is treated for 30 min at 500° C. with hydrogen. The catalyst is then exposed at the same temperature to a mixture of 80% by volume of nitrogen and 20% by volume of air (depleted air). After a flushing phase of 15 min with pure nitrogen, the catalyst is reduced for 30 min with hydrogen at 500° C. The catalyst is then flushed at a reaction temperature of 600° C. with 15.3 g/h of n-dodecane (>99% by volume) and 3.6 g/h of H₂O. The pressure is 1 bar. The reaction products are analyzed by gas chromatography. After a reaction time of one hour, the dodecane conversion is 20%, and the selectivities to C₁₂-olefins (sum of mono- and polyunsaturated dodecenes) are 90%.

Example 4

Dehydrogenation of n-hexane

2 g of the catalyst prepared according to Example 1 are thoroughly mixed with 6 g of inert material (steatite) and introduced into a tubular reactor with an internal diameter of 4 mm. The catalyst is treated for 30 min at 500° C. with hydrogen. The catalyst is then exposed at the same temperature to a mixture of 80% by volume of nitrogen and 20% by volume of air (depleted air). After a flushing phase of 15 min with pure nitrogen, the catalyst is reduced for 30 min with hydrogen at 500° C. The catalyst is then flushed at a reaction temperature of 600° C. with 7.6 g/h of n-hexane (>99% by volume) and 3.6 g/h of H₂O. The pressure is 1 bar. The reaction products are analyzed by gas chromatography. After a reaction time of one hour, the n-hexane conversion is 35%, and the selectivities to C₆-olefins (sum of mono- and polyunsaturated hexenes) are 91%.

Example 5

Trimerization

A steel autoclave with a volume of 2500 ml was annealed at 120° C. in a stream of argon. At 25° C., 750 mg of 1,3,5-tris(2-ethylhexyl)-1,3,5-(triazacyclohexane)CrCl₃ and 500 g of toluene dried over sodium were introduced into the autoclave, and then the autoclave was flushed three times with 1-butene. A further 50 g of a 1 M solution of methylalumoxane in toluene and, by means of a lock, 500 g of 1-butene were then added to the autoclave. The temperature in the autoclave was then increased to 40° C., and the pressure was adjusted to 15 bar with nitrogen gas. After a reaction for two hours under the conditions thus established, the autoclave was cooled and decompressed. The catalyst was deactivated by adding 2-propanol. In the reactor discharge (800 g) exclusively isomeric dodecenes were found as oligomers in the subsequent gas chromatographic analysis. The dodecane mixture obtained by hydrogenation had an ISO index of 2.3.

Following hydrogenation of the trimerization product, the following paraffins were present:

-   2% 5-ethyldecane -   3% 3-methyl-4-ethylnonane -   69% 3-methyl-5-ethylnonane -   25% 3,6-dimethyl4-ethyloctane.     Alkylation of Benzene with Dodecene ex-chromium-catalyzed Butene     Trimerization

Example 6

10 g of H-mordenite zeolite powder (SiO₂:Al₂O₃=24.5) were dried overnight under reduced pressure at 200° C. and heated with 120 g of a 5:1 molar mixture of benzene and dodecene ex-chromium-catalyzed butene trimerization in a steel autoclave for 24 h at 180° C. GC analysis of the reactor discharge gave a content of 24% MLAB.

Example 7

The procedure was as described in Example 6 except that heating was carried out for 96 h at 140° C. GC analysis of the reaction discharge gave 9.5% MLAB.

Example 8

The procedure was as described in Example 6, except that the catalyst used was the zeolite H—Y (SiO₂:Al₂O₃=5.6). GC analysis of the reaction discharge gave 13.7% MLAB.

Example 9

The procedure was as described in Example 7, except that the catalyst used was the zeolite H—Y (SiO₂: Al₂O₃=5.6). GC analysis gave a content of 12.2% MLAB.

Example 10

Distillation and Sulfonation

The discharges from Example 8 and 9 were combined and freed from benzene on a rotary evaporator. The alkylbenzene was then distilled under pressure, giving 24 g of MLAB.

A 250 ml four-necked flask fitted with magnetic stirrer, thermometer, dropping funnel, gas inlet frit and gas outlet was charged with 180 g of SO₃-depleted oleum (100% H₂SO₄). This flask is connected via the gas outlet by means of a Viton hose to a 50 ml three-necked flask which is likewise fitted with magnetic stirrer, thermometer, dropping funnel, gas inlet frit and gas outlet and in which the alkylbenzene has been introduced. The depleted oleum was brought to 120° C. in the SO₃-developer, and 14 g of oleum (65% strength) were added via a dropping funnel over the course of 30 minutes. Using a stream of nitrogen of 7 l/h, the SO₃ gas was stripped out and passed into the alkylbenzene via an inlet tube. The temperature of the alkylbenzene/alkylbenzenesulfonic acid mixture rose slowly to 40° C. and was maintained at 40° C. using cooling water. The residual gas was removed by suction using a water-jet pump.

The molar ratio of SO₃/alkylbenzene was 1.17:1.

After a post reaction time of 4 h, the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid formed is stabilized with 1% by weight of water and then neutralized with NaOH to give the alkylbenzenesulfonate. The Hardness Tolerance Test according to WO 99/05244 gave a value of 38%.

Example 11

As described in Example 10, the procedure was also carried out for the product mixtures from Examples 6 and 7.26 g of MLAB and 15 g of 65% oleum likewise gave a sulfonate with a value for the Hardness Tolerance Test of 38%.

Example 12

1-Dodecene was used as a model for a C₁₂-olefin from an ethene oligomerization. 250 g of ferrierite (Zeolon® 700 from Uetikon, Na form) were exchanged twice with a solution of 750 g of NH₄C₁ in 3 l of water for 2 h at 80° C. and then washed until C1-free. The zeolite was then dried at 120° C. for 16 h and calcined at 500° C. for 5 h. The two exchange reactions and the calcination were then repeated. 200 g of this zeolite were then compressed together with 50 g of Pural®-SB (Sasol), 4 g of HCOOH and 100 g of H₂O over 30 minutes in a kneader and shaped to give strands with a thickness of 1 mm. These were then dried at 90° C. for 16 h and calcined at 500° C. for 5 h and crushed, and the fraction with a particle size of 0.7-1 mm was sieved off. 60 g of these chips were finally treated with 0.7 l of 0.8 N HNO3 at 70° C. for 2 h, washed with 1 l of water and dried at 300° C.

In a coiled tubular reactor with a length of 1000 mm and an internal diameter of 10 mm, 40 g of HNO₃-treated ferrierite chips were introduced between two beds, each comprising 5 g of steatite chips (0.5-0.7 mm) and dried for 5 h at 500° C. in a stream of synthetic air (4 l/h (STP)). Then, at 1 bar and a reaction temperature of 250° C., 90 g/h of 1-dodecene and 6 l/h (STP) of N₂ were passed through. A forerunning of 80 g of condensate was discarded, then 260 g of dodecene mixture (96% pure according to GC-MS) were collected over 3 h. 

1. A process for the preparation of alkylaryl compounds by a3) preparation of a C₁₂-olefin mixture by trimerization of butenes in the presence of a catalyst obtained from a) a chromium compound CrX₃ and the quantity which is at least equimolar in relation to the chromium compound CrX_(3,) a ligand L or a finished chromium complex CrX₃L, wherein the groups X independently or each other represent abstractable counter-ions and L represents a 1,2,5 triazacyclohexane of formula (1)

wherein the groups R¹ to R⁹ independently of each other represent hydrogen, Si-organic or optionally substituted C-organic groups containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, whereby two geminal or vicinal radicals R¹ to R⁹ can also be bonded to a five or six-membered ring and b) at least one activating additive or dehydrogenation of C₁₂-alkanes in the presence of a Pt/Sn/Cs/K/La catalyst system on SiO_(2,) ZrO_(2/)SiO_(2,) ZrO_(2/)SiO_(2/)Al₂O_(3,) Al₂O₃ or Mg(Al)O with optional upstream or downstream isomerization b3) reaction of the C₁₂-olefin mixture obtained in stage a3) with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, it being possible to add additional linear olefins prior to the reaction.
 2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the butenes used for the trimerization are obtained from LPG, LNG or MTO streams.
 3. The process of claim 1, wherein said catalyst for trimerization of butenes is obtained from 1,2,5 tris(2-ethylhexyl)-1,3,5 -(triazacyclohexane)CrCl₃ and methialumoxane. 